Brian Kerslake wrote:
Not had any experience personally with wikis other than occasionally editing the Wikipedia junkrig entry, but is something we can look into. Unfortunately we don't appear to have a particularly 'techie' membership so I don't know how wikis would go down. Maybe some of us are just hiding their talents :-)

Hi Brian,

Now that you mention it, it's not a WYSIWYG environment... formatting is done via character strings inserted in the text (similar to HTML). That's not intuitive for most folks.

Pity, since changes and discussion are automatic, and the whole environment is designed as hypertext (i.e., self and cross-referencing, and therefore a cumulative knowledge environment).

Maybe a trial project, down the road.

Dave Z

Lesley Verbrugge wrote:

I was interested to hear your thoughts about wikis. I have space on my website and I reckon I shall set one up as an experiment! . OMG is this a n other project?!

I do like the idea of contributors being able to expand the knowledge base as and when. Surely a good place for the vocabulary too?

Hi Lesley,

Dave Zeiger wrote:Hi Lesley (and others),

Here's a draft version, edited as a generalized questionnaire. It's unformatted, so can be copied from here, or I can supply it as a file in most formats. Any feedback welcome!

*****

JRA SAILPLAN PROJECT


The primary purpose of this project is to update and expand the >> Junk Information>Sailplans>Current and Early << sections of the JRA site. Secondarily, the information gathered, assembled and refined will help toward the JRA UPDATE PJR (Practical Junk Rig) PROJECT.

The following have been suggested as useful information to be assembled for each major sailplan:

* Representative photo -- Preferably profile shot from batten side (showing parrels), close-hauled and normalized to view from s'brd.

* Generalized line plan -- Standard and scaleable with spar angles, showing typical control lines and keyed explanation of features, along with a plan of the furled bundle.

* Brief history -- Include the developer(s), notable boats who've used the sailplan, it's goals (e.g., improved windward ability), what was introduced to achieve them, and some indication as to its current popularity.

* Points list of pros and cons -- Such common considerations as cost, complexity, ease-of-construction and -handling, sail set, windward efficiency, tendency to foul, etc..

* Owner consensus -- Generally, does it work as intended? Is it favored by owners? Do owners tend to stick with the type or move on?

* Links to discussion threads, calculators, articles, photos, etc.

* Dedicated Forum for suggestions and feedback on presentation.


Additionally, the following have been suggested for similar presentation as modular approaches, which can be applied to, or modify, more or less any Sailplan:


* Yard angle.

* Batten Rise.

* Rectangular vs triangular panels.

* Flat-cut panels.

* Shaped-panel camber.

* Fanned sail, twist-induced camber.

* Convex luff curve.

* Gurney flaps.

* Roping.

* Stiff spars.

* Bendy spars.

* Mechanical spars (e.g., hinged battens).



QUESTIONNAIRE:

* Do you have any additions to the above categories or elements within them?

* Are there sailplans which interest you that are not currently covered at the current JRA Sailplan location?

* Can you help with this project? If so, what do you have in mind?

* If you are experienced with a particular sailplan or approach, would you be willing to work toward its documentation?

* Can you provide or point to specific information or materials for this project?

* Would you be open to conducting research? If so, are you willing to summarize results?

* Would you be open to requests to handle specific tasks?

Hi Dave.

Thanks for compiling that list and for placing it here. To some extent the content will of course cross over with what Chris Galliienne is working on and he's already 10,000 words in. I hear he's taking a break from writing to draw the sailplans - he's posted about that separately. However Chris's work is self-contained though I hear will be thrown open for member comment later. Maybe add a question to the above along the lines of 'Would you like to be help CG top and tail his book?' But please clear it with him first.

Re the idea of opening a separate forum for this, David has already set up a section of the site for that. We ahave some members wishing we had fewer fora. Might be better to use David's area, get a team together, I'll give them access to it and then work via email with occasional progress reports here.

Can't remember the last time I did any of the above.

Btw, haven't taken break from writing history .. just using one as a change from the other. Have opened up part one of history for general comment on the relevant thread.

Brian, Okay Dokay, I read you loud and clear.